Whose idea was Hartford House?The conviction which led to the conversion of our home into a hotel came from Mick's wife, Cheryl. She felt that once the children had completed their schooling, this heritage gem could serve no better purpose than to be committed to the use of the public of this country and its international visitors.

What make it different?It is the only world-class hotel, on a world-class stud farm, in the world. Summerhill Stud has been the champion racehorse-breeding establishment in South Africa nine consecutive times in a an era when the landscape is heavily populated by billionaires. The estate is 3 000 acres, populated not only by horses but by a large variety of game species.

Where are your guests from?Our mix includes strong followings from Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and, more recently, the Western Cape during winter. Our traffic is about 80% local and 20% foreign. That changes to roughly 60% local and 40% foreign in the warmer months.

Do guests come back?Our biggest marketing tool is word of mouth. We have many return guests, some of whom have been coming back consecutively for the past 10 years, staying in the same suites and, remarkably, wanting the same menu.

Average duration of stays?Our weekends are generally based on a two-night stay. During the off season our midweek stays are one night, and three to four nights in season.

How do you hit the "service" balance between privacy and attention?We need to respect our guests' privacy, but it's also extremely important that we get to know you. In that way we are able to anticipate your needs and offer you warm and engaging service.

Oddest request or behaviour?We have often transformed our racetrack to host mini race days for birthday celebrations. We even have a commentator and betting tote.